A winter and holiday favorite, mulled wine is served hot and blended with an array of spices. When making mulled wine, you will want to use a full-bodied red that provides a bigger, bolder flavor. Here is what to look for when choosing a bottle for mulled wine.

Do

Higher Alcohol Levels

Wines with a higher alcohol can withstand the heat when simmering mulled wine; therefore, you don’t have to worry about much of the alcohol burning off.

Go Bigger, Bolder and More Full-Bodied

Choosing a wine from a warmer climate will give you a wine that is more fruit-forward. The fruit notes from these kinds of wines provide a nice aroma to mulled wine.

Warmer Climate Wines

Wines from a warmer climate boast a more fruit-forward flavor and aroma. This trait tends to create a balance between the fruitiness of the wine and the spice notes without allowing the spices to become too overpowering.

Don’t

Waste Money

Mulled wine is not meant to be a high-class, sophisticated beverage. If you take a look at the history of mulled wine, the reason people began adding spices to wine in England during the Victorian age was to improve the flavor of wine from France that had been improperly stored. As long as you follow the list of “Do’s” we have listed, then you should be fine with any of the wines that fit the description.

Use a Delicate Wine

Choosing a delicate wine means that the aroma and flavor will easily get lost in the mix of spices used in mulled wine. Opt for a sturdier wine that will balance out the spice notes.

For mulled wine, we suggest using one of the following red wines: Italian Red, Southern French, New World Merlot, Red Zinfandel, Shiraz. If you have any questions about which wine will work best for your mulled wine recipe, come down to Wine Mine where we are happy to assist you in selecting the best wine for the job.